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3/1/2020

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Did you know that March is women’s history month? A month dedicated to honoring the phenomenal contributions and vital roles of incredible women throughout history. This is a month where we have the privilege to honor women like: Claudette Colvin, Susie King Taylor, Maggie Lena Walker, Jane Matilda Bolin, Mary Church Terrell, Dorothy Irene Height, Harriet Tubman, Madam C. J. Walker, Bessie Coleman, Rosa Parks, Sojourner Truth, Ida B. Wells, Coretta Scott King, Maya Angelou, Michelle Obama and the list goes on and on.

Recognizing these women and so many others in the important strides they have made throughout history to enhance our culture brings me so much joy. They remind me of our ability as individuals to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13-14 NIV). We’ve made it to March and I believe that this month, God desires for us to release our abilities as individuals. There are three areas that God spoke to me about us releasing our ability in this month: management, investment, and creation.

So yall know I had to ask God to point me in the direction of a woman in the bible who embodied the ability to release her management, investment and creative skills. God immediately pointed me to one of my favorite women in the bible, the Proverbs 31 woman. What I love about her is that she inspires me to be a better version of myself daily. She was the epitome of a manager, investor, creator and so much more. The bible in Proverbs 31:10-31 NIV describes her.

10 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. 11 Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. 12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. 13 She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. 14 She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. 15 She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants. 16 She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. 17 She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. 18 She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. 19 In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. 20 She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. 21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. 22 She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. 23 Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. 24 She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. 25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. 26 She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. 27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. 28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 29 “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” 30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. 31 Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Management has to do with us being good stewards over the things that God has blessed us with. One of the first things that God does after creating man is He places him in the Garden of Eden to manage it. Genesis 2:15 NIV reads, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it”. This month God needs you to recognize that He has delegated you with a responsibility to work your ground by managing what He has placed in your hands. One of the things that I love about the Proverbs 31 woman is that she knew how to properly steward her resources that God blessed her with. The bible tells us that she was skilled at managing her household and her time (Proverbs 31:27 NIV). She went out of her way to provide food for her family and she made sure that there were portions for her female servants as well (Proverbs 31:14-15 NIV).

The Proverbs 31 woman was wise when it came to investing because she recognized that investing was the idea of sowing what she already had. The bible tells us that she didn’t just know how to properly invest her money (Proverbs 31:16 NIV, Proverbs 31:18 NIV), but she knew how to invest her time (Proverbs 31:27 NIV), she knew how to invest her service (Proverbs 31:20 NIV), and she knew how to invest her words (Proverbs 31:26 NIV). Think about the different things in your life that God has blessed you with that you can invest or sow into because God is calling you to invest this month.

This is also a month where God desires for you to create. The Proverbs 31 woman knew how to build and produce with every resource she had access to. The bible tells us that after investing in a field, with her earnings she created a vineyard, something that she understood had the ability to keep producing (Proverbs 31:16 NIV). She made coverings for her bed (Proverbs 31:22 NIV), and she made linen garments and sold them (Proverbs 31:24 NIV). Create this month, like the Proverbs 31 woman or like Noah did with the ark so that you can be prepared for what God is planning to send into your life. Creation is preparation that will help to produce success when the right moment arrives. Create the business plan. Create healthy habits. Create the content. Create new boundaries. Create the door of opportunity or the table. Create, with every gift and talent that God has blessed you with. Create, and watch God take care of the rest.

There is someone reading this blog wondering: How do I manage what I have? How do I invest with what I have? How do I create with what I have? Seek and trust God. God is who will give you wisdom in each one of these areas of your life specifically as it pertains to you. He will begin to provide you with vision and direction as He promised in Isaiah 48:17 NIV when He stated, “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you in the way you should go”. This means that to operate in excellence when you are managing, investing and creating, you have to know that God is your compass. Even when you think you may not know enough or you think you may not have enough, God can bless exactly what you do have to go further than you could possibly ever fathom.

It was God who placed Adam in the Garden of Eden to begin managing and working it (Genesis 2:15 NIV). It was God who gave Joseph vision and revelation on how to properly invest Egypt’s resources so that when a famine hit, they had plenty (Genesis 41 NIV). It was God who spoke to Noah about building and creating an ark that ultimately protected lineage here on earth (Genesis 6:9-22 NIV, Genesis 7:1-24 NIV, Genesis 8:1-22 NIV). This month, God is going to lead you on how to manage, invest and create. All He needs you to do, is release your ability to manage, invest and create with everything He has already given you.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
We celebrate you and all that you are in our lives. Thank you for blessing us with the opportunity to learn from your word which is the way, the truth and the life. Forgive us for not managing or investing our time, our thought patterns, and our resources in a way that would honor you. Uproot our fleshly mannerisms and purify our hearts. Father let this word marinate through our spirit and in our soul this month encouraging us to release our ability to manage, invest and create. We surrender our lives to you and seek your will in all that we do so you may show us which paths to take (Proverbs 3:6 NLT). We declare a spirit of production and productivity over our lives in the mighty name of Jesus. Lord we will steward, sow, produce and create through your guidance and wisdom in this season, for you are our Father who is in complete control and we trust you. Empower and equip us like never before, in Jesus name we pray, amen.

Scriptures to Feed Yourself & Reflect On:
Matthew 5:13-14 NIV (Salt and Light)
Proverbs 31:10-31 NIV (Story of the Proverbs 31 Woman)
Genesis 2:15 NIV (God desires for man to work)
Isaiah 48:17 NIV (God is our teacher)
Genesis 41 NIV (God gives Joseph revelation about Pharaoh's dreams)
Genesis 6:9-22 NIV (The story of Noah and the flood)
Genesis 7:1-24 NIV (The story of Noah and the flood continued)
Genesis 8:1-22 NIV (The story of Noah and the flood continued)
Proverbs 3:6 NLT (Seek God’s will)

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Bridges

2/2/2020

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In August 2007, the Interstate 35W Bridge in Minneapolis collapsed in the middle of rush hour, killing 13 people and injuring 145 individuals. The bridge originally opened back in 1967 and was Minnesota's third busiest bridge, it carried across 140,000 vehicles daily. After a thorough investigation was conducted by The National Transportation Safety Board, they stated that a design flaw was the likely cause of the collapse. In their report, they noted that a too-thin gusset [gaw-set] plate was found ripping along a line of rivets and that in addition to the weight of the traffic during rush hour on the bridge, this all contributed to the catastrophic failure of the bridge.

For those of you who may be unfamiliar with what a gusset [gaw-set] plate is, it is a thick sheet of steel used for joining structural steel beams together on a bridge. The gusset plate is installed at the intersection of two or more adjacent beams, chords, or columns. It may be fastened to each steel framing member using mechanical fasteners like bolts, or permanent bonds, such as welding. The gusset plates serve as both a method of joining the steel together and of adding strength and support to each joint.

As we have now entered into the second month of this new year, and we know that we are blueprints, I believe that God wants to ensure that we have reliable bridges in our lives. We cannot get to where God wants to take us in this new decade without strong, supportive bridges. Your bridges are the people who God chooses to divinely align you with so that you have everything you need to prosper because He has precognition of who you will be and where you will go. Bridges are not solely limited to your best friends or just your family members. Your bridges are any divine connections that God strategically places in your life to elevate you or to take you to the next level in a specific area where He knows you need to go.

In the bible there are so many stories about bridges that we see. Ruth and Naomi (Ruth 3:1-18 NIV), Elijah and Elisha (2 Kings 2:1-14 NIV), Abraham and Lot (Genesis 13:1-18 NLT & Genesis 19:1-29 NLT), and we also see Mary and Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-41 NIV). Out of all of the bridges seen throughout the bible that I would love to tell you about, I believe that this month, God wanted me to tell you about a man by the name of David. David was a courageous man who was the son of Jesse and the youngest out of his eight sons who tended to his father’s sheep (1 Samuel 17:12-15 NIV). One day, David decides to voluntarily fight a Philistine giant by the name of Goliath that caused great fear amongst the Israelites (1 Samuel 17:32-37 NIV). After killing the giant King Saul took a liking to David and met with him deciding to keep David with him as a part of his army (1 Samuel 17:55-58 NIV, 1 Samuel 18:2 NIV). Whatever mission Saul would send David on, he was so successful that Saul gave him a high rank in the army (1 Samuel 18:5 NIV). Overtime, Saul’s adoration for David turned to anger, envy, and fear because of David’s great success (1 Samuel 18:6-9 NIV, 1 Samuel 18:12-15 NIV), and eventually Saul tries to kill David (1 Samuel 19 NIV). In an attempt to flee from Saul, David connects with his friend Jonathan, who is also Saul’s son (1 Samuel 20:1-3 NIV). Jonathan had become friends with David after he first met Saul and he loved David as he loved himself (1 Samuel 18:1, 3-4 NIV). Together, David and Jonathan come up with a plan to determine whether or not Saul is truly trying to harm David and they make a covenant before the Lord with one another to always remain friends no matter what may happen (1 Samuel 20:4-17 NIV). After discovering that Saul in fact does intend to kill David, Jonathan helps David to successfully escape (1 Samuel 20:30-42 NIV).

Saul was David’s bridge that carried him from tending sheep to a career in the army (1 Samuel 17:55-58 NIV, 1 Samuel 18:2 NIV). Saul was also David’s bridge to high rank or what some of us today would call promotion in the army (1 Samuel 18:5 NIV). Overtime, as David’s success grew and his name became known amongst people, Saul could no longer support David (1 Samuel 18:6-9 NIV, 1 Samuel 18:12-15 NIV).

It was a gusset plate that was too-thin on the Interstate 35W Bridge in Minneapolis which contributed to the collapsing of the bridge because it caused a lack of support for the weight that needed to be carried across the bridge. That gusset plate was put in place when the bridge was built back in 1967 and though it was able to support the bridge for so many years, in 2007 there came a point where the gusset plate could no longer work. We see the same thing reflected in Saul’s relationship with David, he is initially a reliable bridge for David but overtime as David’s success grows, Saul can no longer carry David due to his anger, envy and fear.

I need you to understand that you’re a heavy-weight, because the things that God plans to do in the course of your life will be mind blowing. 2020 is the mark of a new era that God has allowed you to enter, in order to catapult you into your purpose. This month, God needs you to be intentional about identifying the reliable bridges that He has already placed in your life. He needs you to recognize that some of the bridges that used to be able to hold you in the last decade, will no longer be able to hold, support or carry you through this new decade because like Saul and the Interstate 35W bridge, the gusset plate has become too-thin. Lastly, God needs you to seek His direction so that you may begin to pursue new bridges that will carry you to new places this year.

Take a moment this month to ask yourself, who are the bridges in your life? The people who will elevate and connect you to the things that you were meant to be in alignment with. The people who will be a foundational platform that is reliable enough to carry you over to where God wants you to be. The people who will lead you to your God ordained purpose through your authentic bond. The people who will stretch you, correct you, cover you, challenge you, and celebrate you. You need bridges like Jonathan from 1 Samuel 20 who will be loyal to you and stand by your side no matter what the outlying circumstances may be. You need bridges like Naomi in Ruth 3 who will search for ways for you to be ‘well provided’ for and teach you how to properly reach for your blessings. You need bridges like Mary in Luke 1:41 who will cause what is on the inside of you to leap, activating the Holy Spirit that dwells within you. You need bridges like Elijah in 2 Kings 2:9 who won’t be offended or jealous if God takes you further than HE ever takes them. You need bridges like Abraham in Genesis 19:29 who will pray for you. You need bridges in your life who can help you identify your blindspots so that you can grow in the weak areas where you can’t even see. According to Proverbs 15:22 NIV, you need bridges in your life who may council you in order for your plans to succeed. This month, I challenge everyone who is reading this blog to go out and up your bridge game, because in order to go where God is trying to take you, you will need, bridges.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
We magnify your name and give you glory! Thank you for being apart of every detail of our lives. We appreciate the fact that you are an all knowing God who desires for us to prosper and be victorious. As we are now navigating throughout the year 2020, we decree and declare that we have perfect vision. Vision to be able to clearly see things from your perspective. Vision to be able to decipher the reliable bridges in our lives from the bridges whose gusset plates have begun to wear, tear, and become too-thin overtime to carry us any further. Vision to identify new bridges that will carry us to new levels and help cultivate our God-given gifts. We come against catastrophic bridge failures and pray that every divine connection we are meant to have in our lives will be strong and reliable never collapsing or falling apart in the mighty name of Jesus. We rebuke lose or weak gusset plates and ask that you begin to dismantle anything that may cause disintegration in our relationships, we call down: the spirit of offense, anger, greed, jealousy, dishonesty, disloyalty, defamation of character, pettiness, unnecessary drama and anything else that may hinder us. Bless us with genuine relationships that mirror David and Jonathan’s friendship and are filled with love and loyalty (1 Samuel 20 NIV) God. Place a shield of protection over every bridge in our lives that we are meant to be connected to and may you get the complete glory, honor and praise, in Jesus name we pray, amen.

Scriptures to Feed Yourself & Reflect On:
Ruth 3:1-18 NIV (Ruth and Naomi)
2 Kings 2:1-14 NIV (Elijah and Elisha)
Genesis 13:1-18 NLT & Genesis 19:1-29 NLT (Abraham and Lot)
Luke 1:39-41 NIV (Mary and Elizabeth)
1 Samuel 17 NIV - 1 Samuel 20 NIV (The Story of David)
Proverbs 15:22 NIV

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You Are The Blueprint

1/5/2020

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A while ago I remember waking up from what seemed like a nightmare in the middle of the night. As I sat up in my bed I asked God, “why would you allow me to dream about such dreadful memories from so long ago in my past?” He gently responded letting me know, “because you’re the blueprint Lana, and you have to know where you’ve been in order to grow and understand where you’re about to go”. In the moment that God spoke those words to me, I couldn’t fully wrap my mind around His meaning until he led me to watch a speech that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered back in 1967 to a group of high school students in Philadelphia entitled, "What Is Your Life's Blueprint?"

In that speech, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. talked about how a blueprint serves as the design, pattern, guide, or model that can be followed for those who are trying to build a building. He also stated that a building is not well erected without a good sound and solid blueprint. As we have now entered into the year 2020, I believe that God wants you to operate throughout this year knowing and understanding that you are the blueprint He created. Understanding who you are is going to be essential to helping you navigate throughout this new year. In Genesis 1:27-28 AMP it reads,

27 So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 And God blessed them [granting them certain authority] and said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth, and subjugate it [putting it under your power]; and rule over (dominate) the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and every living thing that moves upon the earth.”

God blessed us with authority when He created us and declared that we would multiply, increase, grow, and build. Did you know that a blueprint, no matter what context it is used in is used as an initial model to help guide someone to build? If a blueprint is an initial model composed of information that visually communicates how something functions or is constructed in order for copies to be made, then to whoever is reading this blog, I need you to understand that you’re an original. Being an original means that you’re the one who God chose and anointed to do what you do, how you do, the exact way you do. He anointed you to go through the pain that comes with doing what you’ve been called to do. He anointed you to handle the pressure. He anointed you to deal with the tough things everyone else is running from. He anointed you to know how to make something out of nothing. He anointed you to deal with difficult people. He anointed you to be consistent when everyone else is operating in inconsistency. He anointed you to know how to speak to the weak building them up through encouragement. You are the blueprint, an original creation by God that has been chosen and anointed. Being the blueprint does not make you perfect but it qualifies you, not in spite of but because of your past. Everything you’ve been through, or were exposed to, everything you’ve done, it was all training ground that God placed you on so that He could extract impurities and implement an increased level of wisdom, discernment, strength, and so much more.

You are the blueprint God created to break every generational curse in your family. You are the blueprint God created for the business or ministry idea that you’ve been building. You are the blueprint God created for joy. You are the blueprint God created for kindness. You are the blueprint God created for excellence, not perfection but a job well done. You are the blueprint God created for motherhood. You are the blueprint God created for fatherhood. You are the blueprint God created for teaching others how to build a relationship with God to pray. You are the blueprint God created to educate others on financial prosperity. You are the blueprint God created to change a city. You are the blueprint God created to change a state. You are the blueprint God created to change a nation. You are the blueprint God created for teaching others how to overcome abuse. You are the blueprint God created for teaching others how to overcome fear. You are the blueprint God created for teaching others how to overcome insecurity. You are the blueprint God created for helping others grow and foster a true relationship with Him. You are, the blueprint, and God’s word confirms this in Romans 12:6 when it says “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us…”. This means that God has entrusted each one of us with different talents, abilities, and creativity to be able to flourish in what He has called us to do. That word different, is a reminder to you that there is something important that only you have been blessed with the ability to accomplish for God in this world.

God’s word tells us that before He formed us in the womb, He knew exactly who we were. Before we were ever placed here on earth, God intentionally set us apart and appointed us (Jeremiah 1:5 NIV). This is important to know because being the blueprint means that you are distinct, recognizably different, and set apart from anyone or anything else. Being the blueprint means that you are an anomaly, therefore people won’t understand you, and what you’re doing will not always make sense in the beginning. Being the blueprint means that you have to be okay with making mistakes and placing yourself in a position where you can learn, grow and be strengthened by those mistakes. Being the blueprint means that you have to actually be committed to doing the work rather than trying to find the short-cuts. Being the blueprint means that you have to be okay with being the interrupter in a standard atmosphere. Being the blueprint means that you have to sometimes say or do the difficult things that no one else wants to say or do. Being the blueprint means that you have to be okay with temporary isolation so that later there may be elevation and duplication. Some of you are not going to want to hear this but, being the blueprint means that you are going to undergo some setbacks, pain, tears, sacrifices, hardships, etc but I need you to know that these afflictions are not restrictions, they are God’s way of making sure that the foundation and framework is right. They are God’s way of reminding you that you’re a pioneer, you’re a ground breaker, a shifter, the trendsetter, and a powerhouse all wrapped up in one and no weapon formed against you has the power to prosper (Isaiah 54:17 NKJV). In 2020, walk through this year knowing who you are, the blueprint.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for blessing us with unique gifts, talents, abilities, and creativity to be the blueprint that you have called us to be in this world. We praise you for all that you’ve done, all that you’re doing and for all that is to come. Hallelujah for a new year, a year in which you’ve taken the time to remind us of who we are. We are original, we are distinct, we are pioneers, ground breakers, shifters and powerhouses that abide in you, so therefore we will always be at the top, and never at the bottom (Deuteronomy 28:13 NIV). Lord when we are placed in fiery furnaces throughout this year (Daniel 3 NIV) remind us of the fact that you are standing with us. When you begin to stretch us out of our comfort zones and things don’t quite make sense, remind us that the word of the Lord is a lamp to our feet, and a light on our path (Psalm 119:105 NIV). As you elevate us throughout 2020 and bring us into contact with new individuals, we pray for wisdom and knowledge as Solomon did in 2 Chronicles 1:10 NIV. As your blueprints, we will be fruitful and multiply throughout this year God, so we ask that you may cover us, guide us, and protect us, in Jesus name we pray, amen.

Scriptures to Feed Yourself & Reflect On:
Genesis 1:26-28 AMP
Romans 12:6-8 NIV
Jeremiah 1:5 NIV
Isaiah 54:17 NKJV
Daniel 3 NIV
Deuteronomy 28:13 NIV
Psalm 119:105 NIV
2 Chronicles 1:10 NIV

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Missed Moments

12/1/2019

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As I walked through the door and got in the long line to place my order, a guy began to speak to me. He told me that his name was Benjamin but that he went by Ben and immediately began to pour out pieces of his life to me as though we had known one another for a lifetime. As Ben spoke to me and shared events that had taken place in his life, something in my spirit told me to pray for Ben. Shortly after my spirit had told me to pray for Ben, Ben asked me if I could pray for him and I immediately answered, “yes, I was just thinking that I wanted to pray for you”. Instead of taking Ben’s hands in that moment and beginning to pray over him right there in the confined space we were in, I let him continue to speak. Once it was Ben’s turn to place his order in line, he placed his order and he immediately left. When I turned around after placing my order I saw that Ben was gone. When I walked back inside to pick up my food about 15 minutes later, I saw Ben standing there and I gently touched his back and said in a playful tone, “hey, why’d you run out so quickly before I had an opportunity to pray for you?” In an unkind tone, Ben expressed to me that he had told me he was going through a lot. I immediately removed my hand from Ben’s back completely intimidated by his mood change and I stood in complete silence as I watched him grab his food and leave.

I prayed about Ben that Saturday night and the next morning when I woke up, for some reason he was still heavy on my mind so I continued to pray. By Monday when Ben was still on my mind, I decided to go look up the meaning of his name and I learned that Benjamin is a name that stems from a Hebrew origin. It means “son of the south” or “son of the right hand” and the right hand is known as God’s special place of honor. Ben had given me his number while we were speaking in the line so I went back through my notes on my phone to find it. That Monday after work I called Ben a few times and even left him a voicemail however, there was never an answer. I thought to myself, “how could I have missed praying for a man whose name itself told me that he was God’s special place of honor?” As I sat down contemplating about the conversation I had with Ben and the moment my spirit told me to pray for him, I realized that I had missed the moment.

As we have officially entered into the last month of the year, I believe that God wants to remind each reader not to miss the moments placed right before them. When I thought about missed moments, the bible story that came to mind was about two sisters named Mary and Martha:

“38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’ 41 ‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed – or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her (Luke 10:38-42 NIV).”

Mary maximized the moment in front of her by taking advantage of the privilege to literally be in the presence of Jesus. Martha on the other hand, missed the moment by placing focus on preparations rather than on Jesus just like I missed the moment to pray for Ben by continuing to listen to him speak rather than praying with him. Don’t be like Martha and I throughout this month, so focused on insignificant details that you miss the main thing that God truly wants you to center your attention on. This month, God wants you to recognize the moments that He will specifically place in front of you so that you will maximize them to the fullest.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for carrying us over into the last month of 2019. Thank you for being a guardian over our lives and for covering us in areas where we didn’t know we needed covering. For every moment that you have blessed us with that we may have taken for granted, Lord we say thank you. Thank you for being patient, loving and kind towards us. Thank you for doing all that you do and for being you. God we pray that we do not miss any moments that you place before us throughout this month. Open our eyes, to be able to recognize the significance of what is in front of us and help us to maximize every moment. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

Scriptures to Feed Yourself & Reflect On:
Luke 10:38-42 NIV

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The Voice of GOD

11/3/2019

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Friday night while I was home in Chicago, my mother and I decided to go see the movie Harriet and hands down, it was one of the best movies I have seen. The movie is a narrative based on a true story about a heroic abolitionist by the name of Harriet Tubman. Harriet was an African American woman who was born into slavery that escaped and made multiple missions back to guide and save other enslaved people by utilizing a network of antislavery activists and safe houses known as the Underground Railroad. What I loved about the movie is how it depicts the nature of Harriet’s total dependance on the voice of God through prophecy to guide and protect her throughout her journey in life (click on the trailer below to see a preview of the movie).

As I left the movie Harriet, God immediately let me know that this month He wanted each one of you to know that in order to succeed, you have to allow His voice to lead. Harriet’s nickname was Moses so naturally I thought that God would want me to tie in the story of Moses, a prophet who led people to freedom as God instructed him to do so but God lead me to another story in the bible that He wanted me to focus on to emphasize the importance of His voice. It is a story about a man of God from Judah which is shared in 1 Kings 13:1-25 NIV.

By the voice of God, a man from Judah is led to Bethel and begins to cry out against an altar (see 1 Kings 13:1-3 NIV). When a king over hears what the man of God is crying out, he stretches out his hand and says “seize him” but the hand he stretches out towards the man of God shrivels up and he is unable to pull it back. The king then asks this man of God to pray for him that his hand may be restored and so the man of God prays for the king and his hand is immediately restored (see 1 Kings 13:4-6 NIV). After this, in 1 Kings 13:7-10 NIV the king invites the man of God back to his place, “7 The king said to the man of God, ‘Come home with me for a meal, and I will give you a gift.’ 8 But the man of God answered the king, ‘Even if you were to give me half your possessions, I would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water here. 9 For I was commanded by the word of the Lord: ‘You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came.’ 10 So he took another road and did not return by the way he had come to Bethel.”

As the man of God from Judah initially obeyed the instructions given to him by the voice of God that told him not to return by the way he came, he is soon approached by another man on the road who invites him to his place to eat in 1 Kings 13:11-25 NIV.

11 Now there was a certain old prophet living in Bethel, whose sons came and told him all that the man of God had done there that day. They also told their father what he had said to the king. 12 Their father asked them, “Which way did he go?” And his sons showed him which road the man of God from Judah had taken. 13 So he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” And when they had saddled the donkey for him, he mounted it 14 and rode after the man of God. He found him sitting under an oak tree and asked, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?” “I am,” he replied. 15 So the prophet said to him, “Come home with me and eat.” 16 The man of God said, “I cannot turn back and go with you, nor can I eat bread or drink water with you in this place. 17 I have been told by the word of the Lord: ‘You must not eat bread or drink water there or return by the way you came.’” 18 The old prophet answered, “I too am a prophet, as you are. And an angel said to me by the word of the Lord: ‘Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.’” (But he was lying to him.) 19 So the man of God returned with him and ate and drank in his house.

20 While they were sitting at the table, the word of the Lord came to the old prophet who had brought him back. 21 He cried out to the man of God who had come from Judah, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You have defied the word of the Lord and have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. 22 You came back and ate bread and drank water in the place where he told you not to eat or drink. Therefore your body will not be buried in the tomb of your ancestors.’”

23 When the man of God had finished eating and drinking, the prophet who had brought him back saddled his donkey for him. 24 As he went on his way, a lion met him on the road and killed him, and his body was left lying on the road, with both the donkey and the lion standing beside it. 25 Some people who passed by saw the body lying there, with the lion standing beside the body, and they went and reported it in the city where the old prophet lived.

As you allow the voice of God to lead you throughout your journey in life, here are three things that you will have to be in order to succeed:

Tamper-Proof
- When the voice of God instructs you to do something or provides you with a promise, no matter what happens in life or what you are faced with, you are going to have to hold on to that word never letting man or anything of this world interfere with what God has told you. The word of God remains forever (1 Peter 1:25 NLT) which means that you are going to have to be tamper-proof. With the man of God from Judah, we initially see this once he turns the first man down and tells him what he cannot do because of what he was commanded by the word of the Lord (1 Kings 13:8-9 NIV).
A Discerner
- Romans 12:2 ESV says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect”. This season, you will have to tap into your gift of discernment to be able to recognize and swiftly distinguish frauds or counterfeits from the real thing. You are going to have to recognize that any voice outside of the voice of God that is not in alignment with what God has spoken to you is an unauthorized voice that has the potential to deter you from the direction that God has already provided for you. While the man of God from Judah knew what he heard from the voice of God, he was unable to perceive a lie told to him by man due to his lack of discernment. In order to succeed in allowing the voice of God to lead, you are going to need discernment so that you will not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether or not they are from God (1 John 4:1 NIV)
Obedient
- As the voice of God leads you, in order to succeed you will have to be obedient. In the movie Harriet, there is a scene where she is leading a group of enslaved individuals across the water and although she seems nervous to cross the water, she takes a moment to pray and obeys the voice of God by doing so anyway. Her decision to obey the voice of God ultimately led her and the enslaved group of individuals following her to freedom. Being obedient to the voice of God will not always make sense, and it will not always be easy but you cannot afford to have the type of setback that the man of God from Judah had in 1 Kings 13:20-25 NIV simply because you made the decision to defy the voice of God. The bible tells us that we receive blessings for our obedience. When we are obedient in following the voice of God by faithfully obeying His commands, the Lord sets us high above all the nations on earth and blesses us abundantly (Deuteronomy 28:1-6 MSG).

This month, allow the voice of God to lead the way for you because when God is leading the way, He will always make you the head, not the tail. You will always be at the top, never at the bottom (Deuteronomy 28:13 GW).

Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
With praise upon our lips and gratitude overflowing from our hearts, we magnify your holy name. You are loving, you are faithful, you are kind, you are gentle, you are patient, you are reliable, and you are fruitful. Thank you for being God! Forgive us for our sins and anything that we’ve done that was displeasing to you Lord. As we have officially entered into the month of November, we surrender our ways for your ways, we surrender our thoughts, for your thoughts, and we surrender our sight for your sight. Bless us with the ability to not only hear and recognize your voice, but to be able to listen to your voice and effectively follow your instruction (John 10:27 NIV). We pray that once we have heard your voice that we will never let it depart from us. Bless us with the ability to be tamper-proof, bless us with discernment, and bless us with faithful obedience. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

Scriptures to Feed Yourself & Reflect On:
1 Kings 13:1-25 NIV
1 Peter 1:25 NLT
Romans 12:2 ESV
1 John 4:1 NIV
Deuteronomy 28:1-6 MSG
Deuteronomy 28:13 GW
John 10:27 NIV

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Preparing for the Unknown

10/6/2019

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This month I decided to embark on a 90-day journey of focus where I am focusing on bettering myself. During this journey I am eating healthier. Choosing not to watch any sort of television unless it is spiritually motivating (like sermons). I am off of social media unless I am watching something that is spiritually motivating through those platforms (like sermons or prayers) or posting something spiritually motivating through the DistinctlyBlessed or Ladies Who Pray pages. I am only listening to gospel music throughout these 90 days. I am reading more, learning new things, intentionally doing random things outside of my comfort zone that will foster growth, spending more time praying, spending more time in God’s word, and spending more time simply seeking God’s heart. I knew that God called me to this 90 day journey when I embarked on it but I never understood why until last night. As I spent time with God, I heard Him tell me that He is preparing me for the unknown.

So often when we think about preparation we think about getting ready for something we are expecting or anticipating like an important business meeting, a 5k run, a speech we have to give, a romantic date, our child or children's first day of school, our first day of work, our first showcase, our first performance, an event that we are hosting, a promise from God that we have prayed for, etc. How many of you reading this blog can honestly say that when you prepare, you intentionally prepare for the unknown? This month, I believe that God has placed you in a season where He is calling you to begin preparing for what you don’t know is on the way. He is calling you to get ready for the unexpected blessings that are going to fall, for where He plans to take you in your future, for what looks like the impossible to man. He is calling you to prepare for navigation in foreign territories and for elevation in an unfamiliar realm.

The word that God backed this message up with was a parable in the bible that Jesus told about 10 bridesmaids in Matthew 25:1-12 NLT:
1 “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, 4 but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. 5 When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 “At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’ 7 “All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. 8 Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’ 9 “But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’10 “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. 11 Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’ 12 “But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’

Verse 4 talks about how the bridesmaids that were wise took along “extra oil” with them. I need for someone reading this blog to understand that it is through your preparation for the unknown where God will produce your “extra oil”. Your “extra oil” is the anointing that you don’t know you are going to need along the way, it is the favor that you don’t expect to receive. What I love about this parable is that if you keep reading on to the last verse, verse 13, it says, “So always be ready. You don’t know the day or the time when the Son of Man will come” (Matthew 25:13 ERV).

God has more in store for you but you do not know the day or time He will come to deliver it. It will be unknown to you, and the only way for you to access it is by preparing for the unknown or in other words, staying ready. Don’t be like the foolish five bridesmaids who were not prepared when the bridegroom arrived simply because the time that he came was unknowingly delayed. They were literally locked out from receiving their blessing because they were not prepared.

Preparing for the unknown can only happen when there is total surrenderance to God due to recognition that He is omniscient. This means that He is all knowing and therefore has complete knowledge and infinite awareness about what our future holds. “Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite” (Psalms 147:5 NKJV). This means that His understanding is beyond our comprehension so He knows the work we need to put in before the blessings arrive and the doors begin to open. He knows the fine-tuning and refinement needed in the dark or hidden areas of our lives that we cannot see. He knows how to shift our paradigm to stretch us past thinking too small-scale. He knows the practice and self-discipline that we are going to need before we get there. He knows where we need to be sharpened and He knows how sharp we need to be. He knows the type of “extra oil” that we will need before we know that we have need of it.

This month, God needs you to get on your grind with preparing for the unknown. He needs you to trust Him like never before to equip you with what only He knows you will have need of. He needs you to do this because He wants to see you win. He needs you to do this because He knows that you will have to be in position when the unknown time arrives for your blessing. He needs you to do this because He can’t get the glory out of you if you are not ready to be stretched to your utmost best.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
We thank you for choosing us. We thank you for being able to look right through our inadequacies to bless us with sufficiency. We thank you for being our Father and our friend. We thank you for being someone who we know we have to always depend. We give you glory, honor and praise today God for doing what you do and simply being you. There is no one like you and we love you. Hallelujah for the fact that you have foreknown insight into our future! Hallelujah for the fact that you withhold the power to equip us with what it is you know we will need! God we boldly come before you today and ask that you help us to reach our peak. Guide and direct us throughout this season in our lives so that we are properly prepared for our unknown. Provide us with the prerequisites that you know we will need to flourish. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

Scriptures to Feed Yourself & Reflect On:
Matthew 25:1-12 NLT
Matthew 25:13 ERV
Psalm 147:5 NKJV
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

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Exposed

9/1/2019

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I remember back in 2017 when one of my colleagues at the time was speaking to me about travel. She began showing me pictures of her in Italy and there was this one particular picture of her on a boat with these beautiful, pristine buildings in the background. When I saw that picture, I remember envisioning myself on a boat in Italy and thinking to myself how incredible it would be to do something like that or to go somewhere like Italy. You see for my colleague, Italy was a casual vacation that she went on annually with her mother. For me, it was a big deal. Fast forward to 2019, in speaking with a former colleague of mine over dinner, she mentioned how she had brought a flight to Italy and invited me to join her on this trip. After praying about it and seeking God for direction, I booked a roundtrip flight to Italy.

When I finally made it to Italy last month, I was blessed with the opportunity to travel to Sorrento, Capri Island, Anacapri, Amalfi Coast, Positano and Rome. In the middle of one of my boat trips, as we began approaching one of the islands it felt like deja vu as it dawned on me that the same thing God had exposed me to about two years ago in a photo that my colleague showed me, He had granted me full access to. I sat back on the boat in complete amazement thinking about God’s goodness. I couldn’t even begin to try to wrap my mind around how God had taken me somewhere I didn’t even plan to go, because I thought it was too far out of my reach when I was exposed to it.

This month, I believe that God is going to intentionally expose you to big deal places, big deal people, big deal business opportunities, etc. Instead of getting stuck on the fact that it is such a big deal when you see it or hear it, I need you to hold on to exactly what you are exposed to so that you can begin to expect it in your life. In the month of September, whatever God exposes you to, He is going to do.

When I heard this message from God to relay back through this month’s blog, I immediately thought to myself, ‘God who did you expose something to in the bible only for you to turn around and go do it for them?’ As I thought about this question to myself, Joseph came to mind. For those of you who may not be familiar with Joseph, Joseph was the son of Jacob and he was his father’s favorite son. It was Joseph’s favoritism, overconfidence and prophetic dreams that triggered his brothers hatred for him.

3 Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other children because Joseph had been born to him in his old age. So one day Jacob had a special gift made for Joseph—a beautiful robe. 4 But his brothers hated Joseph because their father loved him more than the rest of them. They couldn’t say a kind word to him.

One night, God exposes Joseph to what is unknowingly a glimpse of his future.

5 One night Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated
him more than ever. 6 “Listen to this dream,” he said. 7 “We were out in the field, tying
up bundles of grain. Suddenly my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered
around and bowed low before mine!” 8 His brothers responded, “So you think you will
be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us?” And they hated him
all the more because of his dreams and the way he talked about them. 9 Soon Joseph
had another dream, and again he told his brothers about it. “Listen, I have had another
dream,” he said. “The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed low before me!” 10 This time
he told the dream to his father as well as to his brothers, but his father scolded him.
“What kind of dream is that?” he asked. “Will your mother and I and your brothers
actually come and bow to the ground before you?” 11 But while his brothers were
jealous of Joseph, his father wondered what the dreams meant.

As you read the story of Joseph throughout the Bible, you'll see how he was later on sold into slavery to the Ishmaelites by his brothers. He then becomes a household slave after being purchased by Potiphar. Potiphar held a prestigious role in Egypt as the “captain of the guard for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt”(Genesis 39:1 NLT) and Joseph worked hard for him. Eventually Potiphar’s wife makes passes at Joseph to try and get him to sleep with her but he turns her down so one day she decided to lie on him and say that he tried to rape her. Joseph is then thrown into prison for years until the king of Egypt Pharaoh eventually sends for him to interpret his dreams. Joseph foresees that there will be seven years of prosperity throughout the land and seven years of great famine. Pharaoh then appointed Joseph as ruler over Egypt so that he may direct people on how to properly gather extra crops during the good years to bring to Pharaoh’s storehouses so the people would have enough to eat during the seven years of famine they would face (Genesis 41:25-46 NLT). As time passes and the famine season comes around, Joseph’s brothers who sold him into slavery go over to Egypt to buy grain, not knowing that Joseph their brother was now the governor over Egypt and in charge of selling grain to all people (see Genesis 42-43 NLT).

In the same way that God exposed me to Italy, in the same way that God exposed Joseph to being a ruler, God is going to expose you to a glimpse of your future in the month of September. This month, stay alert and stay prepared because once you have been exposed to it, God is going to do it.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
We thank you for choosing us. Choosing us for another day, choosing us for victory, choosing us for divine assignments, choosing us to spread your love, choosing us to share our testimonies, and last but not least, we thank you for choosing us to be exposed to your vision. God we pray that you cover our minds, each and every single one of our intricate thought patterns, guard and purify our hearts, bless us with spirits that are a mere reflection of you at the core. As you begin to use the month of September to expose us to big deals we pray that you also help us to protect the things that you expose us to. God, if it takes years for us to see what you’ve revealed come to pass as it did for Joseph, we pray for unwavering faith, and the ability to hold on to what you have exposed us to. Help us to stay woke and help us to stay prepared in the month of September so there is clear recognition in what you are exposing us to. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

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Your Story

8/4/2019

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As I sat on the edge of the chair in her room, I remember the tone of her voice shifting as she began to speak. She told me about a secret abortion that she had at a young age that still lived with her til that very day. She mentioned how there was not a day that went by that she did not think about the decision she made to take the life of her first child. She was scared and did not feel as though she could tell anyone in her family that she was pregnant, so she had a private procedure done. It was one of the most terrifying and uncomfortable experiences she mentioned ever having by herself and she understood that it was only by the grace of God that she survived that kind of procedure. I sat in shock for a moment in the chair as I thought about how I'd known her for decades yet, never heard her story.

If you read my blog from last month then you know that my intentions were to do a mini blog series entitled The Beauty In Filtering, however; as I spent quality time with God there was a specific message that He placed on my heart that I believe is imperative to deliver to readers now. How many of you have you ever felt shameful about sharing a situation you have gone through in your life or that you are currently going through? Have you ever tried to hide or avoid exposing the distasteful details about an experience that you’ve had? If your answer was yes to either one of those questions, then I believe you are exactly where God wants you to be, reading this message. This month, God wants to inform you of the importance in your story.

For those of you who may be wondering what your story is, your story is your testimony. It's an open acknowledgement or some sort of public profession about your spiritual experiences that you've encountered throughout your journey in life. It is one of the most powerful devices that I believe we have all been blessed with throughout our lives.

In the book of John, it talks about a woman who shares her story and the powerful impact that it has on her community.

28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him (John 4:28-30 NIV).

39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers. 42 They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world” (John 39-42 NIV).

Your story has the power to save souls. Your story has the power to ignite someones relationship with God. Your story is what will birth belief in barren situations. Your story is what will set the atmosphere for God to perform a miracle. Your story is what will break chains. Your story is what will revive. Your story is the power God gives you to influence a specific body of people. Your story is too important to not be told. This month, I believe that God is calling you to put down your water jar (whatever could potentially be in the way or hold you back) like the woman, so you can go out and share your story.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father,
We honor you for being Lord over our lives. Thank you for your goodness, your faithfulness, your unmerited grace and your loving kindness. Thank you for purpose, value and uniqueness through our stories. We pray that you bless us with courage, wisdom, and strength to go out and tell our stories throughout this month. Use us as yielded vessels to be a blessing to others as we share our testimonies. Let your light be projected through us so that you may always get the glory. Have your way through every experience that we encounter in life. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

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The Beauty In Filtering: What You See

7/7/2019

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I am so excited because recently God placed it on my heart to share with others the beauty in filtering certain things in your life to become more closely aligned with God, walk in your purpose, and get to the next dimension or level that God is trying to take you to.

I will be doing a mini blog series entitled The Beauty In Filtering and today I will be focusing in on part one which is going to look at the beauty in filtering what you see. To anyone who is reading this blog today, that believes God wants you to have life more abundantly (John 10:10 NKJV), I believe that this message is for you.

Around July of 2018, God told me to delete the majority of the people I was friends with on my Instagram page and only follow family, very close friends, people I was assigned to, and people or things that inspired or motivated me. I did not understand why God would give me that kind of instruction so I shoved off doing it for a bit of time. I had never been the super popular girl who had thousands of followers and followed thousands of people so for me I thought, “God, if I do this, no one is going to follow me because everyone is going to begin to unfollow me”. God threw this question back to me, "if they unfollow you after I have directed you to stop following them, are they truly your friends anyway?" By the time August rolled around this instruction from God began to pull at me so much that it pushed me to begin unfollowing people on social media. At first I just began unfollowing people that I didn’t speak to but may have known from the past like college or high school but God wanted more. He had given me specific instructions and He was not going to be satisfied until I followed them exactly the way He instructed me to. When my birthday rolled around in early September I told God I was doing things His way this new year and the first thought that rushed to my mind as I declared this to the Lord was following His instructions about social media. I immediately went through my Instagram page unfollowing hundreds of people and only following family, very close friends, people I was assigned to, and people or things that inspired or motivated me.

There is so much revelation in this story and there are so many things that we could talk about like obedience and the importance in following God’s instructions, or caring about the world’s approval versus God’s approval, but for today I want to focus on the beauty in filtering. What I did not know when God instructed me to begin unfollowing people on social media is that He was trying to create a sacred space of security that would not only protect my eye gates from toxicity, but it would help me to focus so that I could grow, build and begin to create in the way God called me to in the season I was in.

What if I told you that God wanted to filter what you were seeing in order to launch you to the next level? Would you be willing to stop watching certain television shows? Would you be willing to stop spending countless hours a day on social media looking at what other people are doing, what they have, and comparing yourself? Would you be willing to spend more time reading the bible daily or reading books that will edify you mentally or spiritually? When I surrendered to God filtering what I saw on social media, it began to move clutter out of the way that I didn’t even know existed in my life. It helped me to stay in my own lane and stop focusing on things or people that did not bring me closer to God but rather focus on my purpose, my gift and the calling that God had been waiting on me to tap into. It cut out comparisons, the thought of not being good enough because of seeing people on social media do things a certain way and thinking that I had to do things that way or in that timeframe, and it saved me a tremendous amount of time that was being wasted looking at worthless things instead of sewing back into the kingdom of God or operating in His will for me.

Psalm 119:37 New King James Version (NKJV) states, “37 Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, And revive me in Your way." Revive means to give new strength or energy. How can God revive us or give us that new strength and energy if we won’t allow Him to filter some of life’s earthly impurities that He knows we are being exposed to through our eye gates?

In Matthew 6:22-23 the new living translation bible reads (NLT) “22 Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. 23 But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!” What we see has the power to fuel the light within us and our light is connected to our hearts, our thoughts, our actions, our speech, our bodies, and our impact that we can have throughout this world as Christ representers.

To anyone who is reading this blog today, the message that I believe God wants you to walk away with this month is to surrender your eye gates to the Lord, for it is through your surrenderance that you will gain clear spiritual perception that will steer you in the right direction, keep you closely aligned with God’s will, and ultimately elevate you to a higher level that God is trying to take you.

Prayer:
Lord we thank you for the mercy and grace that you have blessed us with. We recognize that our help comes from you and you alone, the creator of heaven and earth. We give you glory for being who you are: patient, Holy, gentle, kind, faithful, loving, supportive and so much more. We love you, we adore you, and we honor you father. We humbly come before you and repent for anything we have done that was displeasing to you, every moment of disobedience, delay in following your instruction, and for allowing distractions to clutter our lives. Refine us. Renew us. Anoint us. Build us. Strengthen us. Direct us. Protect us. Provide for us. Abide in us, working in supernatural ways for you to get the glory out of us.

God according to your word in Psalms 119:18, we pray that you open our eyes to spiritual truth so that we may see wonderful things from your perception. Help us to understand the power in filtering our vision so that we may set our sights on spiritually edifying things that inspire us to stay focused on the purpose that you placed us here on earth to do. Father your eyes are everywhere and you see and keep watch over everything, the good, the bad and the ugly so we surrender our eyes to you and ask that you begin the beautification process of filtering whatever may need to be uprooted in our lives. In the matchless name of Jesus we pray, amen.

Scriptures to Feed Yourself & Reflect On:
Matthew 6:22-23 NLT (The New Living Translation Bible)
Psalm 119:37 NKJV (The New King James Version Bible)
Psalms 119:18 NLT (The New Living Translation Bible)
Proverbs 15:3 NIV (The New International Version Bible)
Psalm 73:1-28 MSG (The Message)

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Stay In Your Lane

6/2/2019

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As I sat on the Ohio Turnpike to drive back home Friday evening, there was construction going on and without warning the two lanes on my side of the expressway split into two. I was already driving in the left lane but as I proceeded to go that way I noticed ahead of me that there was more traffic in the left lane than there was in the right lane. I tried to get out of the left lane and veer over into the right lane so that I would not get stuck in traffic but it was too late, the orange and white traffic cones began to block me so I was unwillingly forced to stay in my lane. I sat in traffic for what seemed like about 20 minutes and I grew frustrated as I looked over to the right and watched all of the cars in that lane zip right past me. It appeared as though traffic in that lane was flowing so smoothly that all of the cars that made the decision to drive in that lane did not have to wait in standstill traffic like myself and the rest of the cars that were in the left lane.

After 20 minutes in standstill traffic passed, out of nowhere, my lane began to pick up in speed and traffic suddenly broke apart. The pace of traffic was finally flowing again in my lane and as it flowed all of the vehicles that I had seen pass by me earlier were now sitting in standstill traffic as I bypassed them. In the background of my car I remember hearing the song 1-2 (Victory Check) by Tye Tribbett playing and I laughed because it was in that very moment that I realized I knew exactly what God wanted me to write about this month.

Now that we are in the month of June gradually entering into the summertime in the U.S. I believe that God wants to send us a friendly reminder to stay in our lane. So many of us, like myself on the Ohio Turnpike this past weekend are so busy focusing on someone else's lane and the way traffic is flowing in their lane that we are failing to recognize that although it may not look like it, our lane, is actually moving at the exact pace that it should be moving for us to go where God wants to take us. This month, I encourage every reader to stop veering over into other people’s lane’s because of what you think you see in the earthly realm. Instead, stay in your lane and trust God keeping your eyes straight ahead and ignoring all sideshow distractions (Proverbs 4:25 MSG).

It is human nature for anyone who was like me sitting in standstill traffic and see’s the lane next to them flowing at a steady pace to either become frustrated or to think to yourself that you wish you could be in the other lane rather than your own lane. God has personally sent me to tell you that you need to shut those thoughts down this month. “Those who live as their human nature tells them to, have their minds controlled by what human nature wants. Those who live as the Spirit tells them to, have their minds controlled by what the Spirit wants” (Romans 8:5 GNT).

I challenge you to “think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth” (Colossians 3:2 NLT) this month. I challenge you to cast down every sideshow that is trying to take you off of your square this month. When it looks like you are behind or others are excelling in areas where you want to see yourself excel in, I challenge you to trust in God with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5 NLT) this month. You have victory and whether you see it or not I need you to believe it this month. We serve a God that has the power to take destitute situations and turn them around. We serve a God that has the power to take the foolish things of this world to shame the wise. We serve a God who has the power to intentionally choose the powerless to shame those who are powerful (1 Corinthians 1:27 NLT). There is nothing too hard for God to do for you so as you stay in your lane this month, remember that “you’re blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God. You’re blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him. That’s right—you don’t go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set (Psalm 119:1-3 MSG).

Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
You are wonderful. We adore you, we honor you, and we love you. Thank you for continuously blessing us, keeping us, and advancing us towards our purpose. As we enter into the month of June, we pray for the willpower to stay in our lane. Keep our heart, mind and eyes steady so that we remain on the course you have set before us never attempting to veer over into another lane because of what we see someone else doing, or how we see someone else progressing. Let your word be a lamp to guide our feet and a light for our path (Psalms 119:105 NLT) as we solely rely on you to direct us. May you get the glory out of our lives through our obedience, through our faith, through our consistency, and through our focus. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

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